EXECUTIVE  DOCUMENTS 


No.    4. 


THE 


GOVERNOR'S   MESSAGE 


AND 


(CORRESPONDENCE 


WITH    THE 


COMMISSIONERS  FROM  VIRGINIA. 


CHARLESTON : 

STEAM-POWER     TRESSES     OF     EVANS    *.    COGSWEJ.L, 
No.  3  Broad  and  103  East  Bay  Streets. 

1861. 


EXECUTIVE  DOCUMENTS. 


No.  4. 


THE 


GOVERNOR'S  MESSAGE 


CORRESPONDENCE 


WITH    THE 


COMMISSIONERS  FROM  VIRGINIA. 


CHARLESTON: 

S  T  K  A  M  -  !•  0  W  i:  tS    P  II  K  S  S  B  S    OF    E  V  A  X  S    A    C  O  O  S  W  B  L  L, 

No.  .3  Broad  and  103  East  Bay  Street. 

1861. 


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THE  FLOWERS  COLLECTION  '^K 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


No.  1. 
[message  of  the  governor.] 

State  of  South  Carolina, 
Executive  Depart.aient,  January  28,  1861. 

To  the  Speaker  and  Members 

of  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

Gentlemen  :  His  Excellencj',  the  Governor  of  Yircjinia,  has 
transmitted  to  me  the  enclosed  Resolutions,  passed  In*  the 
Legislature  of  that  illustrious  Commonwealth. 

It  Avill  be  seen  that  their  object  is  to  induce  the  Lcg-islature 
of  South  Carolina  to  send  on  Commissionei'S  to  meet  Commis- 
sioners from  Virginia,  and  also  from  all  the  States  that  think 
proper  to  send  similar  Commissioners,  on  the  fourth  of  Febru- 
ary next,  in  AVashington  City,  to  ''consider,  and,  if  practicable, 
to  agree  upon  some  suitable  adjustment"  of  the  great  issues 
that  have  been  made  in  the  Confederacy. 

We  are  disposed  to  treat  with  the  most  profound  considera- 
tion every  proposition  that  may  emanate  from  the  State  of 
Virginia,  and  to  yield  to  her  almost  everj'thing,  except  what 
may  involve  vital  principles.  More  than  a  year  ago  the  State 
of  South  Carolina,  actuated  by  a  most  sincere  desire  to  do 
everything  in  her  power  to  avert  the  dangers  that  it  was  mani- 
fest then  threatened  the  Federal  Union,  sent  a  Commissioner 
to  Virginia;  and  made  an  urgent  appeal  to  her  to  step  forward 
and  devise  some  plan  upon  which  the  States,  immediately  con- 
cerned, might  act  together;  and  save  their  peace  and  their 
rights,  and  yet  preserve  the  common  Constitution  as  a  blessing 
for  all  the  States.  It  Avas  then  thought  unnecessar}',  on  the 
part  of  Virginia,  to  take  an^-  steps  to  act  in  concert  with  South 


Carolina.  If  our  sister  States  had  acted  at  that  period,  perhaps 
something  might  have  been  done  to  secure  new  guarantees,  by 
which  our  peace  and  our  chartered  rights  miglit  have  been  pro- 
tected in  a  common  Union.  As  far  as  the  Northern  States  are 
concerned,  they  have,  many  of  them,  often  violated  their  obli- 
gations as  States  under  the  Federal  compact;  and  the  com- 
promises that  have  been  made  between  the  two  great  sections 
of  the  Confederacy  have  been  wantonly  set  aside.  We  have 
appealed  in  vain  to  their  plighted  faith,  and  to  the  integrity  of 
the  covenant.  AYe  have  been  traduced  and  denounced  throup-h 
their  puljDits,  their  press,  their  orators  and  their  statesmen,  as 
unworthy  of  equality  with  them  as  States,  and  even  as  their 
inferiors  in  a  social  point  of  view.  Their  people  have  united 
in  overwhelming  majorities,  at  the  recent  elections,  upon  issues 
which  openly  involve  our  peace  and  existence,  to  put  into 
power  a  party  who  entertain  the  deepest  and  most  malignant 
hostility  to  our  institutions  and  to  our  people.  This  is  the 
great  overt  act  of  the  people  at  the  ballot  box,  from  which 
there  is  no  appeal  to  any  higher  tribunal,  under  our  system  of 
government.  They  have  agTced  to  place  at  the  head  of  the 
army  and  nav}'  a  President,  not  for  the  protection  of  the  rights 
and  the  peace  of  our  people,  under  a  common  inheritance;  fixed 
and  transmitted  by  express  charters  from  the  very  origin  of 
the  Government ;  but  with  open  and  avowed  principles  of  deep 
and  settled  hostilit}^,  and  with  pledges  made  by  him,  at  the 
head  of  a  powerful  party,  for  the  final  extermination  of  insti- 
tutions essential  to  our  power  as  a  people,  and  to  the  peace  of 
our  society.  We  have  been  forced  to  resume  our  original 
powers  of  government,  and  to  assert  our  separate  sovei-eignty 
as  a  State,  in  order  to  seek  that  protection  which  we  were  com- 
pelled to  believe  would  not  be  given  to  us  and  to  our  people, 
under  the  power  of  such  a  party  and  such  a  Chief  Magistrate. 

Under  these  circumstances,  however  much  I  might  be 
disposed  to  yield  the  most  jjrofound  respect  to  the  State  of 
Virginia,  and  to  any  suggestion  from  her,  yet  it  is  dilhcult  to 
perceive  upon  what  ground  this  State  could  agree  to  send  Com- 
missioners to  Washington  to  meet  Commissioners  from  the 
Northern  States  as  well  as  from  the  Southern  States.  It  might 
only  result  in  deeper  and  wider  difficulty  and  confusion.  I  re- 
fer the  whole  matter,  with  great  deference,  to  your  wisdom  and 
decision,  hoping  in  any  event  that  the  kindest  and  most  respect- 
ful reply  may  be  made  to  Virginia. 


Perhaps  it  is  not  improper  to  state  that  this  State  has  agreed, 
through  her  Convention,  to  meet  delegates  from  other  seceding 
States,  at  Montgomery,  on  the  fourth  of  February-,  and  our 
Convention  has  actuall}'  appointed  dek^gates  to  attend  this 
meeting  from  these  States.  The  object  of  this  Convention  of 
States  at  Montgomerj^,  will  be  to  form  immediately  a  common 
Government  for  the  States  that  have  seceded  :  and  by  efficient 
organization  to  secui'e  their  permanent  independence  beyond 
the  reach  of  anj'  contingenc}'.  It  would  obviously  be  impolitic 
for  this  .State  to  send  delegates  to  a  meeting  at  Washington, 
appointed  for  the  same  day,  to  meet  the  States  of  the  North 
Avith  a  view  to  preserve  or  to  re-construct  the  Federal  Union 
with  them;  wlien  we  have  agreed  first  to  meet  our  sister  seced- 
ing States,  to  whom  we  owe  our  deepest  obligations,  and  feel 
bound  by  ever}'  tie  to  make  no  compromises  with  any  other 
Powers  until  we  have  first  formed  with  tliem  a  separate  and 
independent  Union. 

f".  W.  PICKEXS. 


Xo.  2. 

[resolutions    of    the    LEr.ISL.\TUKE.] 

Resolved,  unanimously,  That  tlio  (reneral  Assembly  of  Soutli 
Cai'olina  tenders  to  the  Legislature  of  Virginia,  their  acknowl- 
edgments of  the  ft'iendly  motives  which  have  inspired  the 
mission  entrusted  to  the  Hon.  Judge  Eobcrtson,  her  Commis- 
sioner. 

.Resolved,  unanimotisly,  Tbat  the  candor  which  is  due  to  the 
long  continued  sympathy  and  respect  which  has  subsisted  be- 
tween Virginia  and  South  Carolina,  induces  this  G-eneral  Assem- 
bly to  declare  with  frankness  that  they  do  not  deem  it  advisable 
to  initiate  negotiations,  when  they  have  no  desire  or  intention 
to  promote  the  ultimate  object  in  view:  that  object  is  declared 
in  the  Eesolutions  of  the  Legislature  of  Virginia,  to  be  the  pro- 
curement of  amendments,  or  new  guarantees  to  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States. 

Jiesoliu'd,  unanimousli/,  That  the  separation  of  the  State  of 
South  Carolina  from  the  P'ederal  Union  is  final,  and  slio  has  no 


6 

further  interest  in  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  and 
that  the  onl}-  appropi'iate  uegotiations  between  her  and  the 
Federal  Government,  are  as  to  their  mutual  relations  as  For- 
eign States. 

Resolved,  unanimoushj.  That  this  General  Assembly  fui'ther 
owes  it  to  her  friendly  relations  with  the  State  of  Virginia,  to 
declare  that  the}^  have  no  confidence  in  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States;  that  the  most  solemn  pledges  of 
that  Government  have  been  disregarded;  that,  under  pretence 
of  preserving  property,  hostile  troops  have  been  attempted  to 
be  introduced  into  one  of  the  fortresses  of  this  State,  concealed 
in  the  hold  of  a  vessel  of  commerce,  with  a  view  to  subjugate 
the  people  of  this  State;  and  that  even  since  the  authorities  at 
"Washington  have  been  informed  of  the  present  mediation  of 
Virginia,  a  vessel  of  war  has  been  sent  to  the  South  with  troops 
and  munitions  of  war,  concentrated  on  the  soil  of  Virginia. 

Resolved,  nnanbnoushj,  That  under  these  circumstances  this 
General  Assembly,  with  renewed  assurances  of  their  cordial 
respect  and  esteem  for  the  people  of  Virginia,  and  of  high  con- 
sideration for  the  Commissioner  whom  the}"  have  sent,  declines 
entering  into  the  proposed  negotiations. 


No.  3. 

[HON.  JOHN  ROBERTSON  TO  THE  GOVERNOR.] 

Charleston,  January  2dth,  1861. 

To  his  Excellency, 

The  Governor  of  South  Carolina  : 

Sir  :  The  intelligence  of  the  sailing  of  the  Brooklyn  from 
Hampton  Eoads,  received  here  on  the  25tli  instant,  determined 
me  at  once  not  to  press  an  immediate  reply  to  my  note  of  that 
date,  communicating  the  mediatorial  propositions  of  the  Gen- 
ei-al  Assembly  of  Virginia. 

It  was  arranged,  between  Ex-President  Tyler  and  mj-self 
previous  to  our  departure  from  Richmond,  that  we  would  en- 
deavor to  obtain  from  the  Government  at  Washington  and  the 
authorities  of  the  seceded  States  mutiial  assurances   of  absti- 


nence  from  acts  calculated  to  produce  hostile  collision  during 
the  iDeriod  designated  by  the  General  Assembh',  which  assur- 
ances being  interchanged,  Avould  be  reciprocally  biiuiing. 

Last  evening,  I  received  a  despatch  from  ]\Ir.  T^-ler,  inform- 
ing me  that  the  President  declines  to  give  a  written  pledge.  I 
do  not  understand  that  he  has  given  or  proposes  to  give  a  ver- 
bal one. 

Under  these  circumstances — informed,  moreover,  that  South 
Carolina  does  not  consent  to  send  Commissioners  to  Washing- 
ton, as  proposed  by  Virginia — it  seems  wholly  unnecessary,  if 
not  unreasonable,  to  ask  from  the  authorities  of  your  State 
assurances  of  the  character  contemplated,  Avhich  the  Govern- 
ment at  Washington  on  its  part  declines  to  give.  At  the  same 
time,  though  regarding  my  mission  as  tei-minated,  it  will  afford 
me  sincere  pleasure  to  be  the  bearer  of  any  response  which  the 
authorities  of  South  Carolina  may  think  pi'oper  to  make  through 
me,  to  the  friendly  interposition  of  the  State  I  luive  the  honor 
to  represent. 

Permit  me,  in  conclusion,  to  express  m}"  grateful  sense  of  the 
courtes}-  and  kindness  extended  to  me  b}^  the  authorities  and 
citizens  of  South  Carolina  during  my  brief  sojourn  among  them. 
Very  respectfully, 

JOHN  ROBEETSON. 


i^o.  4. 


[reply  of  the  governor,  through  the  state  department,  to 
hon.  john  robertson.] 

State  of  South  Carolina, 
Executive  Office,  State  Department. 
Charleston,  January  20,  18G1. 
Sir  :  The  Governor  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina  directs  me 
to  acknowledge  his  reception  of  3-our  letter  of  this  date,  and  to 
communicate  to  you  the  great  satisfaction  which  he  has  derived 
from  3'our  visit  to  this  State. 

To  the  General  Assembly  of  this  State,  the  Governor  has 
transmitted  the  "  Preamble  and  Eesolutions  adopted  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia,  January  the  19th,  18G1,"  with 


8 

an  accompanying  Message.  In  the  General  Assembly  certain 
Eesolutions  were  adopted ;  copies  of  which,  with  the  Message 
of  the  Governor,  are  hercAvith  enclosed. 

The  Governor  is  able  to  inform  you,  that  the  dispatch  from 
Mr.  Tyler  to  you,  in  which  he  communicated  to  you,  that  the 
President  refused  to  give  the  written  pledge  which  was  asked, 
contained  the  renewed  expression  of  the  refusal  of  the  Presi- 
dent to  the  same  pledge,  proposed  to  him  by  the  Senators  of 
the  several  seceding  States. 

The  refusal  of  the  President  to  give  this  pledge — a  refusal,  in 
fact,  to  abstain  from  the  commission  of  acts  of  hostility — was 
not  unexpected  by  the  Governor.  But  it  has  been  gratifj^ing 
to  him,  that  you  should  have  become  possessed  of  this  informa- 
tion while  you  were  in  this  State  j  from  sources  which,  in  afford- 
ing you  that  information,  enabled  you  thoroughly  to  undei'- 
stand  the  motives  of  the  authorities  of  this  State  in  not  having 
relied  upon  assurances;  which,  hitherto,  to  your  honored  Com- 
monwealth, may  have  seemed  sufficient  to  have  justified,  and 
demanded,  perhajjs,  confidence  in  the  sources  by  which  they 
were  made. 

With  the  evidence  you  now  have  of  the  purposes  of  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States,  it  is  unnecessary  for  the  Governor 
to  add  to  it  anything,  from  the  more  than  sufficient  testimony, 
which  has  for  some  time  led  him  to  the  conclusion  which  you 
have  reached. 

The  Governor  is  well  satisfied  that  the  ancient  Common- 
wealth, whose  honored  envoy  you  are,  will  receive  the  report  of 
your  mission  with  the  spirit  which  has  given  to  its  name  the 
respect  which  it  everywhere  receives. 

You  carry  with  you  to  Virginia,  from  the  General  Assembly 
of  this  State,  "  the  assurances  of  their  cordial  resjDect  and 
esteem."  In  this,  the  Governor  requests  me  to  say  he  heartily 
concurs.  And  with  equal  pleasure  does  he  unite  with  the 
General  Assembly,  in  the  expression  of  its  "  high  consideration" 
for  you. 

With  great  respect, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

A.  G.  MAGEATH. 

To  Hon.  John  Eobertson, 

Commissioner  from  Virginia. 


H 


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